Christmas Traditions in Italy: Activities & Crafts for Kids

Are you teaching your students about winter holidays around the world? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post you’ll learn some of the beloved Christmas traditions in Italy and the special activities Italians do for Christmas.

Read on to find easy and fun teaching ideas, activities, crafts, and even where to find lesson plans for Christmas in Italy that you can use in your classroom. Take your students on a virtual field trip to Italy at Christmas time and they may even see La Befana!

Christmas Traditions in Italy

Take a Virtual Field Trip

Take your students on an exciting adventure to see first-hand photos of all the Christmas traditions and holiday events in Italy. I have a ready-to-use teaching PowerPoint in the ATK shop that I use to teach the holiday customs, traditional Christmas foods, special events and much more during Christmastime in Italy and many different countries.

Holiday traditions in Italy at Christmas teaching PowerPoint.

St. Nicholas Day

The month of December is a festive time in Italy. Christmas is celebrated over several weeks. At the beginning of the month on December 6, many families celebrate St. Nicholas Day. Children hang up a sock or put a plate of sweets on the table for St. Nicholas.

💡Try this classroom idea: Have your students place their shoes in the hallway outside your classroom. Set it up ahead of time for another teacher or staff member to place a treat inside each child’s shoe. In the past, I’ve used stickers, pencils, candy, or another wrapped item. I find them all from the dollar store.

Letters to Babbo Natale

Many Italian families decorate a tree and set up a Presepe, or nativity scene. Children write letters to Babbo Natale (the Italian Santa Claus) telling him that they have been good in hopes that he will bring them presents.

The Legend of La Befana

Another Christmas tradition in Italy is the the legend of Old Befana. Old Befana is a big part of holiday celebrations in Italy. It is celebrated toward the end of the holidays on January 5. It is believed that a friendly witch called Befana flies around on a broomstick and brings presents and candy for children who have been good.

💡Try this classroom idea: Tomie dePaola has written a wonderful book about La Befana that is always a favorite with my students! Read the book aloud to your students and discuss the central message, the story elements, or even vocabulary words you pull out.

Traditional Christmas Food in Italy

Panettone

The most well-known Christmas food thanks to one of my very favorite Tomie dePaola books called Tony’s Bread, is a cake-like bread called panettone. Panettone is a sweet Italian bread with raisins that is served during the la Befana celebration and other special occasions. (I teach with Tony’s Bread during our Tomie dePaola author study so my kids are familiar with the book.)

Try this classroom idea: Read aloud Tony’s Bread and do a panettone taste test! Bring panettone for your students to sample. It’s easy to find in December. I’ve found panettone at Trader Joes, Walgreens, and Walmart many times. You can even find panettone on Amazon. and have it delivered to you at school!

holidays around the world treats from Italy Germany

Make A Panettone Craft

If your students are “traveling” around the world, have them send a postcard home! This panettone postcard craft is part of the Christmas traditions in Italy lessons we do during our holidays around the world unit. Our students travel to different classrooms to learn about the unique customs and holiday traditions of countries around the world. They make postcard crafts for each country before stamping their passport and departing! See how we do it in my classroom and all the magical ways to teach holidays around the world.

💡Try this classroom idea: Make a panettone Christmas ornament! Make a panettone ornament by punching a hole at the top and tying yarn through.

Christmas in Italy Lesson Plans

Are you wondering how to teach about Christmas in Italy without spending a ton of time gathering activities?

I’ve created a 14-country unit for teaching winter and Christmas holiday traditions around the world. Each country has detailed, scripted lesson plans with a travel suitcase, passport, a teaching PowerPoint with actual photos in the countries and even a short quiz as an exit ticket before students depart!

This unique holidays around the world unit is available here in the Around The Kampfire Shop and also in my TPT shop.

Christmas Reading Comprehension

Add close reading and comprehension practice with passages about holiday traditions in Italy! These passages also include a digital version that you can project on your whiteboard and use during a lesson or make it a partner game during your literacy centers time.

Christmas traditions in Italy reading comprehension

Tombola

Family and friends play tombola throughout the Christmas season. Similar to bingo, tombola is played by calling out numbers, covering them with beans, and trying to cover a row.

Holidays Around the World Math Games

💡Try this classroom idea: Set up holiday themed math centers around the room so students can “travel” to different countries and practice math skills!

With these holiday math centers, (available in three grade levels) students carry a “mathport” and stamp it when they finish the game at each country’s table. I’ve even turned this into a holidays around the world math party that was a big hit! This post has some fun ideas for a holiday math party to do with your student!